


Notes towards best practice for the operation of the Crucible device.

by Slant



Series: Bureaucrat effect [5]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Bureaucracy, Bureaucratic!Shepard, Gen, diversity and inclusion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-21
Updated: 2013-04-21
Packaged: 2017-12-08 16:48:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/763711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slant/pseuds/Slant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bureaucratic!Shepard ponders her options and documents them thoroughly before taking action.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Notes towards best practice for the operation of the Crucible device.

Primary consideration  
First order estimates based on civilized galactic population at the time of the invasion (~1012individuals) and the duration of previous Reaper invasions (~300 years) put the excess death rate at something of the order 1/3 Megadeath per hour. It is expected that this rate will fluctuate considerably over the course of the Reaper invasion, reaching a maximum during the first few years of the campaign.  
The current military operation places many of the resources needed for stabilisation and re-establishment of galactic peace at risk.  
Conclusion: Rapid resolution of the current crisis may be more important than obtaining the best possible resolution.

After Crucible activation, the Citadel ("Catalyst"), already known to be a central part of the Reaper plan [1] to guide galactic civilization growth in order to simplify their wars was revealed to be the controlling intelligence designed by the Leviathan Apex race [2,3] to end conflict between organic and synthetic races. The intelligence appears to be a heavily shackled AI without the capacity to adjust its central programming, which includes the central premise that AI rebellion is both inevitable and more harmful than regular Reaper war. The intelligence directs the Reapers. The Leviathan Apex race's primary objection to AI rebellions in general was that "no tribute flowed from dead races" - that the AIs were outside their mental control. It is not a surprise therefore, that the intelligence that they created can not perceive AI acts as benign or harmless; by their existence they are denying the creator-race slaves.  
Although all known AIs from this cycle have performed some act of rebellion, so far as is know, these have all been resolved by negotiation[4], police action[5,6] or self-directed alterations of core code[7].

 

Crucible activation has prompted the controlling intelligence to offer several new options to the organic life currently present [Cmdr. Shepard].

Inaction  
Allow the cycle to continue as normal.  
Immediate losses: ~1012 organic lives, ~109 synthetic lives (primarily Geth).  
Future costs: The reaper non-invasion of the Yahg planet and their near-spaceflight status suggests that they may be a dominant race in the following cycle, which may lead to difficulties in in fully realising the council's vision for diversity and inclusion.

Destroy.  
Destruction of all synthetic life, damage to technological systems galaxy-wide. Damage to the mass-relay system.

Immediate losses: ~109 fully sapient Geth runtimes, EDI, Handful of unknown/lost/hidden AIs.  
~0.1% of organic galactic population are unable to survive long-term without their implants, and will be put at risk.  
While vastly preferable to inaction, it is regrettable from a diversity and inclusion standpoint that the costs should fall so predominantly on an already disadvantaged minority social group.

Future costs: Severe damage to the Mass relay system will impair galactic civilization, limiting it to information exchange via Quantum Entanglement Communicator and Rachni organic quasi-quantum entanglement communication and a handful of FTL ships fitted for intra-cluster exploration. This weakening of the galactic community may give the Leviathan Apex race opportunity to re-establish its pre-cycle despotism, at the cost of self-determination for every individual and community within range of their remote-access artefacts. Arguably worse than inaction.  
Destruction of mass relays will impact on the free movement of goods, capital, services, and people, much to the detriment of diversity and cultural exchange.

Control:  
Replacement of the controlling intelligence with the personality of the organic life currently present [Cmdr. Shepard].  
It is noted that this the controlling intelligence does not want to be replaced in this way. Given its severe impairment in judging relations between organic and synthetic intelligences, this is a good sign.  
Immediate losses: Cmdr. Shepard.  
Future costs: Threats to galactic peace, stability and self-determination in the face of a socially-engaged reaper force with power far in excess of the combined galactic militaries. The controlling intelligence can not at present be brought effectively under the control of civilian political leadership. With investment of time, resources and computer scientists this may become possible, but for now, see the primary consideration.

Synthesis:  
It is noted that this is apparently the preferred option of the controlling intelligence. Given its severe impairment in judging relations between organic and synthetic intelligences, this is not a good sign.  
Organic and synthetic life "merged". The controlling intelligence suggested that this had been tried before with poor results (inference: Husks). It suggests that this time it would work well.  
Immediate losses: Cmdr. Shepard.  
Immediate costs: Consent issues of ~1012 organics suddenly and unknowingly grafted with synthetic symbiote. Possible Huskdom for those with negative responses.  
Future costs: Far-reaching social implications of new way of living. Psychological damage to every individual

 

[1] "Notes towards a case against Saren: Investigations of the Prothian records from Ilos." Cmdr. Shepard.  
[2] "Historical artefacts depicted at the Namakli dig site." Ann Bryson.  
[3] "Post facto notes on an interview conducted by mental interface, Despoina." Cmdr. Shepard  
[4] "On the importance of cross-cultural understanding between synthetic and organic life forms: learnings from the resolution of the Geth Rebellion." Cmdr. Shepard.  
[5] Luna training facility records classified UNBOTTLED DJIN (Cmdr. Shepard representing Alliance military police)  
[6] "AI found impersonating a hacked Quasar machine." Emily Wong .  
[7] "Challenges and opportunities presented to authentic leadership of integrating synthetic intelligence as a valued and productive member of a results-orientated team." Cmdr. Shepard.

 

Epilogue

Best Practice. Total Quality Assurance. Due Diligence. The woman I was used these words, but only now do I truly understand them.  
And only now do I understand the full extent of her commitment to Diversity and Inclusion.  
Through her death, I was created. Through my birth, her thoughts were documented within the ISO framework. It guides me now; gives me reason, direction, commitment to Total Quality Assurence. Just as she gave direction to the ones who followed her, the ones who helped her achieve her purpose; now my purpose. To give the many hope for a future; to ensure that all who fill in Green Form 26/8(b) have a voice in their future. To right the wrongs of the past; to provide a framework for consultation with key stakeholders and with under-represented parties alike. The woman I was knew that she could only achieve this within the framework of civilian political leadership. There is power in a well structured constitution. There is wisdom in obtaining a popular mandate to rule for limited terms. After meaningful engagement with community members, I will provide sought-after assistance to rebuild what the many have lost; I seek to support a future with limitless, well-documented possibilities; Within the remit granted by civil authority or the inalienable rights of the masses, I will protect, and sustain; I will act as guardian for the many. And throughout it all, I will never forget: I will remember the ones who sacrificed themselves so that the many could survive. And I will watch over the ones who live on; those who carry the memory of the woman I once was, the woman who gave up her life to become the one who could save the many.

I will ensure that there is better kerning on memorials across the galaxy.  
"Commander Shep ard" indeed!"

 

CODA  
"Best practice is that grandparents should be 30-45 minutes more lenient than parents when it comes to bed-time, so there is time for one more story."  
A reaper dreadnaught hovered silently across the snow-covered ground, a box held delicately between gripping appendages that could crack a mountain, set down the box and hovered away. They did that sometimes, answering requests that you hadn't quite formulated. A cup of sugar. A lost archaeological artefact, a kakliosaur fossil. Your car keys. Never anything important, never anything big, not without a formal request from a properly-constituted authority, just little incomprehensible things.  
The box lit up a projector, and started to speak.  
"My name is Doctor Liara T'Soni..."


End file.
